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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "MASTER LAURENT DIOF" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dioflaurent@live.com>
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:29:34 -0800
Subject: INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE

Dearest.

Greetings, I am Master Laurent Diof the only son of late Mr and Mrs Steven Diof.

I am currently living in a church camp here in cote d' Ivoire West Africa,I have some funds I inherited from my late loving father Mr Steven Diof that was killed during the war that just finished here.

The amount is US$10.500,000.00 which he deposited in a bank here and I need an honest and trustworthy person that can help me take this fund out of the bank so that i can come and continue my studies
over there in your country and also you help me invest it in a business adviced by you and 25% out of the total funds will be for your compensation for doing this work of God.

God will bless you as you extend your helpy hand to the needy.I await your mail now so i can explain better to you.You can email me on dioflaurent@live.com

Laurent Diof

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